Running as an Exercise is Not For Everyone

Marathons have become a fad today. Just about everyone wants to run one. Even if not a marathon, just running itself is perceived as a healthy activity. But before you dive into it just because everyone is doing it, there might be some things you need to consider:

Weak bones and joints

People with osteoporosis, osteopenia, arthritis, or weak bones and joints in general should avoid impact based activities like running and callisthenics. Any exercise which leads to forceful impact on the bones and joints is detrimental to the health of a compromised skeletal system. For such people, heavy weight training is recommended which, when practiced with proper form and technique, improves posture and relives joint pain.

Obesity

Imagine the already stressful running, but with 3X to 4X the normal weight. Even with strong bones, the joints are still the same small movement-enabling connections between bones that can crash under strain. The cartilage, ligaments, and membranes in the joints can get damaged irreparably. For obese people, weight training, swimming, rowing and elliptical training is recommended.

Sunburns and dehydration

Pursuing running in hotter places can lead to heat stroke and dehydration. People with naturally higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) may find it difficult to run in such conditions. In these cases, running on a treadmill indoors or at night is recommended.

Weight loss disaster

Using running as a weight loss tool is the biggest mistake that people make. Running only causes a temporary BMR spike. The spike caused by weight training, lasts almost 30-40 times longer – making it a way more effective tool for sustainable fat loss. The ‘weight loss’ caused by running also has another disadvantage – it is fat loss, muscle loss and water loss, which rebounds as fat gain as soon as you discontinue the activity.

So if you are thinking of getting onto the running bandwagon, choose an activity that suits you rather than just following trends.